Coin operated selective bottle dispensers



1964 R. T. CORNELIUS 6 ,328

COIN OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS Filed April 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

l NV ENTOR RICHARD T. CORNELIUS AT TORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. T. CORNELIUS com OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS Filed April 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 V11 7 I 1 1 A I j/ I NVENTOR RICHARD T. CORNELIUS Dec. 29, 1964 R. T. CORNELIUS COIN OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5, 1962 FIG. 9

FIG. 3

INVENTOR RICHARD T. CORNELI U5 BY mz ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. T. CORNELIUS COIN OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1962 FIG. 5

INVENTOR RICHARD T. conusuus,

3 BY mwzZ/Mr/Uh ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. T. CORNELIUS 3,163,328

COIN OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS Filed April 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7

INVENTOR RICHARD T. CORNELIUS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,163,328 COIN UPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSERS Richard T. Ccrnelius, Pm'nneapolis, Minn, assignor to The Cornelius Qompany, Anolra, Mirna, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Apr. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 185,309 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-133) The herein disclosed invention relates to coin operated selective hottle dispensers and particularly for bottled beverages, including a pack having spaced guides on which the bottles to be dispensed may be supported and in addition a storage space in which other bottles may be disposed prior to mounting on the guides.

An object of the invention resides in mounting the guides in the upper portion of a case open at the top and having a top closure and in utilizing the space at the lower portion of the case for storage purposes and in providing a construction in which access may be had to the bottles in the storage compartment of the case and through the open upper end of the case thus eliminating the necessity of a door in the end of the case and permitting of placing the dispenser in a confined space.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a removable coin operated release mechanism and means tor supporting the rack for sliding movement in a direction toward and from the coin mechanism, said rack when the coin mechanism is removed providing a space at the end thereof opposite said mechanism and through which access may be had to the storage space.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel construction and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a coin operated selective 'bottle dispenser mounted in a case open at the top and olosable with a cover, said view showing the case in open position.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 drawn to a lesser scale and showing the parts in altered position.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the coin mechanism drawn to a greater scale than FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 5 and taken on line 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to FIGURE 6 and showing the pants in altered position.

FIGURE 8 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 5 and drawn to the same scale.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the bottle rack taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 2 and drawn to a greater scale.

The invention includes a case A in which is mounted a bottle rack B and from which difierent bottles may be selected. Bottle rack B communicates with a coin operated release mechanism C which controls the removal of bottles from the rack. The case A is provided with a cooling device D and adjacent which is provided a storage space E.

The case A consists of an outer shell 10 and an inner liner 11 disposed within the same and spaced from said shell to provide a space 12 therebetween. The liner of the case is constructed to provide a front wall 13, a

ice

liner are closed by means of an annular cap 23 which is secured to the upper edges of .the front, back and end walls of the liner and shell and which closes the space 12 within the .same. The case A further includes a base 26 in the form of an enclosure and in which is disposed a refrigerating unit not shown and utilized for the purpose of cooling the interior 19 of the case and the bottles disposed therein. This construction being well 1 known in the art has not been shown and any suitable refrigerating unit may :be employed.

For closing the opening 13 in the upper portion of the case A a cover 27 is employed which i constructed in the same manner as the walls of the case A and which is hingedly connected to the rear Wall 24 of the outer shell 10 by means of hinges 28. In addition a bracket 29 is employed which is adapted to engage the cover when open, to hold the same in elevated position.

The front, rear and end walls of the liner 11 have secured to them tubing 31 which is connected to the refrigerating unit of the dispenser. The space 12 between the liner 11 and shell 10 is filled with insulation 32 which reduces the loss of heat from the case. Cover 27 is similarly insulated.

The bottle rack B consist of a number of inverted U-shaped intermediate guides 41 which are spaced apart sufiiciently to form slots 39 therebetween in which the bottles 42 and 43 may be disposed as best shown in FIGURE 3. The bodies 42 and 43 have shoulders 44 which rest upon the marginal portions 4-5 of said guides and by means of which the bottles are supported for longitudinal movement along the guides. The guides 41 are constructed with depending flanges 46 connected together by means of webs 47. In addition to the intermediate guide 41 outer guides 51 are employed which are constructed with a single flange 52 and with webs 53 and 54 extending outwardly from the upper and lower edges of said flange. The guides 51 are formed with longitudinal portions 55 similar to the marginal portions 45 of the guides 41. All of the guides 41 and 51 are held in proper spaced relation to receive and support the bottles 42 and 43 therebetween for sliding movement along the same by means of two cross bars 56. The cross bars 56 are constructed arom sheet metal and are provided with a back 57 and a reinforcing head 58 connected to the'upper portion of the same. The back 57 has spaced legs 59 depending therefrom and which are formed with lugs 63 overlying the webs 47 and 53 of the guides 41 and 51. These legs are riveted or welded to said webs and form a rigid utiiital'y construction. The legs 59 are so shaped and attached to provide openings 54 in the cross bars 56 through which the bottles 44 and caps of the various bottles may pass.

For supporting the rack B 'for sliding movement within the case A a number of rollers 65 are employed which are rotatably mounted on stub shafts 66 secured to the front and rear walls 13 and 14 of the liner 11. These rollers engage the marginal portions 67 and 68 of the Webs 53 and 54 of the outer guides 51. The portion 68 is formed with ofisets 61 extending along the same and serve as rails for guiding the rack for longitudinal movement along the case, the offsets serving to limit transverse movement of the rack.

The coin operated release mechanism C is best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, and includes a case 71 which comprises a wall 74 which lies adjacent the wall 17 of liner 11. The said case also includes a top 75 which has a slot 1'6 formed in the same, a wall 77 extending parallel to the Wall 74 and formed with a slot 99 registering with the slot 76 and further includes a bottom 78. The bottom 78 and wall 77 are integral andlilrewise the top 75 and wall 74-. The Wall 77 and the bottom 78 are formed with flanges 81 and 82 which overlie the top 75 and the Wall 74 and are secured thereto by means'of extends completely across the liner 11 and engages the walls 13 and 14 thereof. Issuing outwardly from the top 75 are struts 85 and 86 which extend up to the ends 48 of the guides 51 when the rack isin the position shown in FIGURE 1. The ends 49 of the guides 41 lie in continuation of the ends 43 of the guides 51. By means of this construction a trunk' passageway 38 is formed which communicates with a chamber 90 formed by thewall '74, partitions 72 and 73 and open at the top through the slot 76 in the top 75 of the case 71. The opposite ends 37 of the various guides 41 and 51 all butt against the end wall 16 of the liner 11 and are restrained.

from movement when the coin operated release mechanism C is in position[ To hold this mechanism in place a latching 87 is attached to the wall of liner 11 and another latch lug 88 attached to the wall 13 of said liner. A key controlled lock 89has a latch 91 which is movable into a position clear of the latch lub 87 or into engagement therewith. When the latch 91 is clear of the lug 87 another latch 92 formed on the top 75 of case 71 is freed from the latch lub S8 and the entire case. with all the mechanism may be removed from the case A by tilting the case 71 in a forward direction and raising the same. 7 p V The coin operated release mechanism C includes a swinging arm 93 which is pivoted on a horizontal .pintle 94 mounted in the case 71. This arm has a blade 95 disposed adjacent wall 77 which when in one position extends partly across the slot 99 in'wall 77 and blocks entry of a bottle into the chamber 96. positioned as shown in full lines in FIG. 6 the bottle may pass through said slot and enter into said chamber 90. The arm 93 is further formed with a cam follower 96 which prevents the removal of the bottle upwardly by its engagement with the inclined surface 97 of a bottle 19%.

The coin controlled device forming part ofthe coin operated release mechanism C prevents the movement of the arm 93 from its full line position shown in FIG. 6 to its dotted line position until the proper coins have been inserted in said device. When the arm 93 is so positioned a bottle from any of the slots 39 may be brought into the passageway 38 and from there into the chamber 94 Upon insertion of the proper coin or coins inthe coin controlled device the arm 93 is released and the bottle may be removed upwardly and withdrawn from the dispenser. During such movement the inclined surface 97 of the bottle serves as a cam engaging the cam follower 96 and swinging the arm 93 to its dotted lineposition. The blade 95 this position is moved in back of the bottle and prevents other bottles from being moved into the chamber 96 when the follower 96 is out of the way. Upon the bottle passing the cam follower 96 arm 93 is moved back to its full line position by means of a spring 98.

The arm 93 is held from movement out of its full line position as shown in FIG. 6 by means of a latch lever 1G1 pivoted on a pintle 102 secured to the case 71. This lever has a latch 1413 which is adapted to ride along a track 164 formed on the arm 93, and which serves to guide the latch lever 191 for movement relative to arm This latch is adapted to engage an abutment 166 formed on the track 164. This abutment limits movement of the cam follower 96 and prevents removal of the bottle from the slot 76. The track 104 has formed in two sockets 168 and N9. When a dime is inserted.

into the soc st 198 die roller 107 rides over the dime and permits the arm 93 to swing upwardly sufiiciently to free latch 103 from abutment 106 and allow a bottle disposed within the chamber 91) to be drawn upwardly past the cam follower 96 and freed from the device.

When, however,

bottles.

When two nickels are disposed in the slot 169 the latch 103 rides over the same and allows the arm 93 to be moved as previously described. Upon passing over the coins, the coins are free to roll out of the slots and into the chamber formed in the case 71. Extending across the case 71 is a rod 112 which carries a flexible bumper 113. Arm 93 is adapted to engage the bumper when the said arm is moved to its full line position shown in FIGURE 6. Thespring 98 is connected to the pintle 162 and to the arm 93. This spring normally draws said arm in to the full line position shown in FIGURE 6 and against the bumper 113. A spring acting between the rod 112 and a pin 114 on the latch lever 101 urges the latch 163 into engagement with the abutment 106.

In the use of thedevice the coin operated release mechanism C is removed in its entirety by inserting a key in the lock 89 and swinging the latch 91 clear of the latch lub 87. Due to the shape of the case 71 at the rearward portion of the same, said case may hinge about the latch 92 and the latch lug 88 and swing upwardly provides a space 115, at the right hand end of the rack.

Band through which access may be had to bottles disposed on the bottom 15 of the liner 11. These bottles may then be elevated and slid into the slots 39 formed by the guides 41 and 51 and supported thereby. When a sufiicient number of bottles have been inserted in said slots the rack may be moved back again and the coin operated mechanism replaced and locked in the case A. Movement of the rack is then prevented.

For the cooling of the bottles the case A the cooling device D is employed. This device consists of .a conduit elongated in form and having sidewalls 121, end walls 12-2 and 123, and a top 124, said conduit 120. being open at the bottom.. The conduit 120 rests on the bottom 15 of liner 11. The conduit 12% is of lesser length than the length of the case A to leave a space between the wall 12.3 thereof and the wall 16 of the case A. This space constitutes the storage space'E previously referred to. The wall 123 of conduit 120 is formed with an opening 126 and surrounding which is a housing 127 receiving and supporting an electric motor 128 having a fan 129 mounted on the rotor shaft thereof. This fan is mounted in an opening 131 in the housing 127- and draws air through the opening 126 and discharges it through the opening 131 and into the interior of the conduit 120; The top 124'oftheconduit is formed with discharge openings 132 and through which the air circulated through said conduit is discharged into the ticularly where the case was set up against a wall on the right hand end of the same or in between other equipment where no space at all was available at either end.

Considerable savingin cost in the fabricating of the liner and shell results and in the elimination ofa door and opening in the end wall of the case. The method of use ofthe inventionis relatively simple and the rack may be quickly loaded and the v storage space filled with fresh All of the space within the dispenser is utilized so thatjan extremely compact structure results'in which a suitable number of bottles may be handled.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin operated selective bottle dispenser com-' prising a case having end, front and rear walls, a bottle rack disposed in the upper part of the case and having a plurality of spaced guides parallel with said rear wall and forming slots for the reception of the upper ends of the bottles and along whichthe bottles may slide, a coin operated release mechanism adjacent one end wall for releasing the bottles one at a time from said rack, said coin operated release mechanism having a release chamber and means forming a trunk passageway communicating therewith, the combination of,

(a) said rack and release mechanism extending over the entire area within the walls of said case, (b) said slots being open at both ends to provide an outlet for bottles at the one end of each slot communicating with said trunk passageway and in inlet for bottles at a corresponding end oif each slot opposite said outlet, v means carried by said case and supporting the rack for sliding movement in the direction of extent of said slots from a dispensing position to a filling position, i

(d) said inlets extending substantially up to and being closed by one of the end walls of said case and said outlets being in communication with said trunk passageway when said rack is in its dispensing position,

(2) means carried by said release mechanism for restraining movement of said rack in the direction of movement thereof and maintaining said rack in dis- I said rack and the end wall adjacent said inlets of sufiicient length to insert bottles therein and direct such bottles into the inlets of the slots in the rack from above and in which the end of the rack having the outlets occupies at least part :of the space which the release mechanism occupied prior to removal. 2. In a coin operated selective bottle dispenser comprising a case having end, front and rear walls, a bottle rack disposed in the upper part of the case and having a plurality of spaced guides parallel with said rear wall and forming slots for the reception of the upper ends of the-bottles and along which the bottles may slide, a coin operated release mechanism adjacent one end wall for I releasing the bottles one at a time from said rack, said coin operated release mechanism having a release chamber and means forming a trunk passageway communieating therewith, the combination of,

(a) said rack and release mechanism extending over the entire area within the walls of said case,

(b) said slots being open at both ends to provide an outlet for bottles at the one end' of each slot communicating with said trunk passageway and an. inlet for bottles at a corresponding end of each slot oppo- .site said outlet,

(0) means carried by said case and supporting the rack for sliding movement in the direction of extent of said slots from a dispensing position to a filling position, t

(61) said inlets extending substantially up to and being closed by one of the end walls of said case and said outlets being in communication with said trunk passageway when said rack isin its dispensing position,

(2) means carried by said release mechanism for restraining movement of said rack in the direction of movement thereof and maintaining said rack indispensing position,

(f) means for detachably and removably-supporting said release mechanism for removal from said case to accommodate movement of said rack to its filling position in which the ends of said guides at the inlets become positioned to form a space between said rack and the end wall adjacent to said inlets of sufiicient length to insert bottles therein and direct such bottles into the inlets of the slots in the rack from above and in which the end of the rack having the outlets occupies at least part of. the space which the release mechanism. occupied prior toremoval,

(g) means providing a storage compartment for hottles disposed below the bottles in said rack,

(11) the bottles in said compartment being accessible through said space when the rack is in filling position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tebay June 14, 1960 

1. IN A COIN OPERATED SELECTIVE BOTTLE DISPENSER COMPRISING A CASE END, FRONT AND REAR WALLS, A BOTTLE RACK DISPOSED IN THE UPPER PART OF THE CASE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED GUIDES PARALLEL WITH SAID REAR WALL AND FORMING SLOTS FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE UPPER ENDS OF THE BOTTLES AND ALONG WHICH THE BOTTLES MAY SLIDE, A COIN OPERATED RELEASE MECHANISM ADJACENT ONE END WALL FOR RELEASING THE BOTTLES ONE AT A TIME FROM SAID RACK, SAID COIN OPERATED RELEASE MECHANISM HAVING A RELEASE CHAMBER AND MEANS FORMING A TRUNK PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATING THEREWITH, THE COMBINATION OF, (A) SAID RACK AND RELEASE MECHANISM EXTENDING OVER THE ENTIRE AREA WITHIN THE WALLS OF SAID CASE (B) SAID SLOTS BEING OPEN AT BOTH ENDS TO PROVIDE AN OUTLET FOR BOTTLES AT THE ONE END OF EACH SLOT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TRUNK PASSAGEWAY AND IN INLET FOR BOTTLES AT A CORRESPONDING END OF EACH SLOT OPPOSITE SAID OUTLET, (C) MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CASE AND SUPPORTING THE RACK FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF EXTENT OF SAID SLOTS FROM A DISPENSING POSITION TO A FILLING POSITION, (D) SAID INLETS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY UP TO AND BEING CLOSED BY ONE OF THE END WALLS OF SAID CASE AND SAID OUTLETS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID TRUNK PASSAGEWAY WHEN SAID RACK IS IN ITS DISPENSING POSITION, (E) MEANS CARRIED BY SAID RELEASE MECHANISM FOR RESTRAINING MOVEMENT OF SAID RACK IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT THEREOF AND MAINTAINING SAID RACK IN DISPENSING POSITION, (F) MEANS FOR DETACHABLY AND REMOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID RELEASE MECHANISM FOR REMOVAL FROM SAID CASE TO ACCOMMODATE MOVEMENT OF SAID RACK TO ITS FILLING POSITION IN WHICH THE ENDS OF SAID GUIDES AT THE INLETS BECOME POSITIONED TO FORM A SPACE BETWEEN SAID RACK AND THE END WALL ADJACENT SAID INLETS OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO INSERT BOTTLES THEREIN AND DIRECT SUCH BOTTLES INTO THE INLETS OF THE SLOTS IN THE RACK FROM ABOVE AND IN WHICH THE END OF THE RACK HAVING THE OUTLETS OCCUPIES AT LEAST PART OF THE SPACE WHICH THE RELEASE MECHANISM OCCUPIED PRIOR TO REMOVAL. 